Hosted by United Culture Foundation, The Korea Post

President Mrs. Kang Duck-young of the United Culture Foundation (concurrently chairman of the Korea United Pharma) jointly hosted with Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post a dinner and concert at the United Foundation Culture Hall in Seoul on Dec. 26, 2014 with the attendance of ambassadors and other senior diplomats with their spouses and Seoul Bureau chiefs of international mass communications media.

Among the diplomats from some 20 different countries were Ambassadors Krzysztof Majka of Poland, TissaWijeratne of Sri Lanka,Kaman Singh Lama of Nepal,Mohamed Ali Nafti of Tunisia and Bakhtier N. Ibragimov of Uzbekistan (CDA).
Before the dinner, the guests had an opportunity to view the paintings and sculptural works of established Korean artists shown on the walls of the hall where the dinner reception took place.

Speaking to the guests, Chairman Kang said that he was very pleased and honored to have the year-end meeting of dinner and concert with such distinguished guests representing the different countries of the world in Korea.
In response, Ambassador Majka of Poland on behalf of the visiting members of the Diplomatic Corps said that the concert greatly contributed to the promotion of understanding of the culture, friendship and cooperation between Korea and the countries represented by the embassiesin Korea.

Then he expressed his gratitude to Chairman Kang of the United Culture Foundation and Publisher Lee of The Korea Post for the efforts they made for the enhancement of relations andfriendshipbetween Korea and the different countries as well as Poland.

After the dinner, Chairman Kang presented Artistic Conductor Hee-chul Kim with a plaque of appreciation for the hard work put in by Kim for the excellent performances prepared by him.

The concert began with the members of the World Vision Children’s Choir singing a number of traditional Korean folksongs, including DorajiTaryeong (Song of the Bell Flower), Samulnori (drum performance), Jindobukdance (Jindo Drum Dance), Arirang (reprasentative Korean folksong), Gyeongbok-gung Tayreong (Gyeongbok Palace folksong).

A variety of other Korean folk songs and dances were presented to show the beauty of Korean folk arts. Starting with a solo 'Haegeum', a traditional instrument, the Korean Fantasy included fan dances, percussion ensembles, drum dances, and beautiful folk songs.
The children not only performed on the stage but also on the both sides of the hall and between and along the aisles,which brought the performers and the guests closer together.

The audience responses gained vigor at Part III where were presented a number of folk songs from different countries of the world, including China, South Africa, Brazil, Latin American countries, France and the Philippines.
Among them were Ambo Hato (an arrangement of rhythmical and joyful folksongs from the Philippines, where the repeated phrase 'Ambo Hato' was impressive. There also was Igsuun, another Philippine number, which was about the life of the people in a Philippine folk village.

Then there was a South Korean folksong, Siyahamba, which was a traditional folk song from South Africa. It was “We are marching in the light of God.”
Next came Molihua, beautiful arrangement of one of the most famous folksongs in China. Singing the beauty of jasmine flower, popular in the southern Yangtze delta region of China.

On this number, Seoul Bureau Chief Wang Gang of the Legal Daily of China showed a warm, nostalgic response and gave an unreserved applause.
Then there was Sambalele. Latin America, especially Brazil, is known as a country of Samba. This Brazilian folk song 'Sambalele' is the most famous folksong of Brazil with colorful rhythm and dance.

The last number on the repertoire was Les Champ-Elysees which a very famous chanson around the world where the performers sang the beauty and lively life of the Champ-Elysees Street in France.
The performances were all over, but the warm applause of the guests would not stop.

Artistic Conductor Kim responded to the call for an anchor and the children presented beautiful Christmas carols, which were accorded a warm round of hand.

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지